title: Emergency airway management with fiberoptic intubation in the prone position with a fixed flexed neck.
abstract: We describe emergency airway management with fiberoptic intubation in a patient in the prone position with her neck flexed by a head pin holder during a neurosurgical procedure. Laryngeal mask airway is suggested in emergency difficult airway algorithms; however, this was not feasible in this patient because of her edematous upper airway and limited mouth opening resulting from extreme neck flexion by a head pin holder. The case illustrates the role of fiberoptic intubation in emergency airway management in this critical situation. Maneuvers to facilitate fiberoptic technique are also described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shou-Zen
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Chun-Po
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yen-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Po-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Tzong-Shiun
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017214:Laryngeal Masks / Q000009:adverse effects; D007830:Larynx; D009333:Neck; D011187:Posture; D016684:Prone Position; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects